diff --git a/workflow/src/main/java/org/apache/oodt/cas/workflow/engine/IterativeWorkflowProcessorThread.java b/workflow/src/main/java/org/apache/oodt/cas/workflow/engine/IterativeWorkflowProcessorThread.java
index b431da3..0779a08 100644
--- a/workflow/src/main/java/org/apache/oodt/cas/workflow/engine/IterativeWorkflowProcessorThread.java
+++ b/workflow/src/main/java/org/apache/oodt/cas/workflow/engine/IterativeWorkflowProcessorThread.java
@@ -17,93 +17,91 @@
 
 package org.apache.oodt.cas.workflow.engine;
 
-//OODT imports
+import org.apache.oodt.cas.metadata.Metadata;
 import org.apache.oodt.cas.resource.structs.Job;
 import org.apache.oodt.cas.resource.structs.exceptions.JobExecutionException;
+import org.apache.oodt.cas.resource.system.ResourceManagerClient;
 import org.apache.oodt.cas.resource.system.XmlRpcResourceManagerClient;
 import org.apache.oodt.cas.workflow.instrepo.WorkflowInstanceRepository;
 import org.apache.oodt.cas.workflow.metadata.CoreMetKeys;
 import org.apache.oodt.cas.workflow.structs.TaskJobInput;
+import org.apache.oodt.cas.workflow.structs.WorkflowCondition;
+import org.apache.oodt.cas.workflow.structs.WorkflowConditionInstance;
 import org.apache.oodt.cas.workflow.structs.WorkflowInstance;
 import org.apache.oodt.cas.workflow.structs.WorkflowStatus;
 import org.apache.oodt.cas.workflow.structs.WorkflowTask;
 import org.apache.oodt.cas.workflow.structs.WorkflowTaskConfiguration;
 import org.apache.oodt.cas.workflow.structs.WorkflowTaskInstance;
-import org.apache.oodt.cas.workflow.structs.WorkflowCondition;
-import org.apache.oodt.cas.workflow.structs.WorkflowConditionInstance;
 import org.apache.oodt.cas.workflow.structs.exceptions.InstanceRepositoryException;
 import org.apache.oodt.cas.workflow.util.GenericWorkflowObjectFactory;
-import org.apache.oodt.cas.metadata.Metadata;
 import org.apache.oodt.commons.util.DateConvert;
+import org.slf4j.Logger;
+import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
 
-//JDK imports
 import java.net.InetAddress;
 import java.net.URL;
 import java.net.UnknownHostException;
 import java.util.Date;
 import java.util.Iterator;
+import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentHashMap;
-import java.util.List;
-import java.util.logging.Level;
-import java.util.logging.Logger;
+
 
 /**
- * An instance of the {@link WorkflowProcessorThread} that processes through an
+ * A workflow processor thread implementation that processes through an
  * iterative {@link WorkflowInstance}. This class keeps an <code>Iterator</code>
- * that allows it to move from one end of a sequential {@link Workflow}
+ * that allows it to move from one end of a sequential {@link org.apache.oodt.cas.workflow.structs.Workflow}
  * processing pipeline to another. This class should only be used to process
- * science pipeline style {@link Workflow}s, i.e., those which resemble an
+ * science pipeline style {@link org.apache.oodt.cas.workflow.structs.Workflow}s, i.e., those which resemble an
  * iterative processing pipelines, with no forks, or concurrent task executions.
  * 
  * @author mattmann
+ * @author Imesha Sudasingha
  * @version $Revision$
  * 
  */
 
-public class IterativeWorkflowProcessorThread implements WorkflowStatus,
-    CoreMetKeys, Runnable {
+public class IterativeWorkflowProcessorThread implements WorkflowStatus, CoreMetKeys, Runnable {
 
-  /* the default queue name if we're using resmgr job submission */
+  private static final Logger logger = LoggerFactory.getLogger(IterativeWorkflowProcessorThread.class);
+
+  /** the default queue name if we're using resmgr job submission */
   private static final String DEFAULT_QUEUE_NAME = "high";
 
-  /* an iterator representing the current task that we are on in the workflow */
+  /** an iterator representing the current task that we are on in the workflow */
   private Iterator taskIterator = null;
 
-  /* the workflow instance that this processor thread is processing */
+  /** the workflow instance that this processor thread is processing */
   private WorkflowInstance workflowInst = null;
 
-  /* should our workflow processor thread start running? */
+  /** should our workflow processor thread start running? */
   private boolean running = false;
 
-  /*
+  /**
    * the amount of seconds to wait inbetween checking for task pre-condition
    * satisfaction
    */
   private long waitForConditionSatisfy = -1;
 
-  /* our instance repository used to persist workflow instance info */
+  /** our instance repository used to persist workflow instance info */
   private WorkflowInstanceRepository instanceRepository = null;
 
-  /*
+  /**
    * our client to a resource manager: if null, local task execution will be
    * performed
    */
-  private XmlRpcResourceManagerClient rClient = null;
+  private ResourceManagerClient rClient = null;
 
-  /* polling wait for res mgr */
+  /** polling wait for res mgr */
   private long pollingWaitTime = 10L;
 
-  /*
+  /**
    * should our workflow processor thread pause, and not move onto the next
    * task?
    */
   private boolean pause = false;
 
-  /* our log stream */
-  private static Logger LOG = Logger
-      .getLogger(IterativeWorkflowProcessorThread.class.getName());
-
   private Map CONDITION_CACHE = new ConcurrentHashMap();
 
   /* the parent workflow manager url that executed this processor thread */
@@ -112,8 +110,7 @@
   /* the currently executing jobId if we're using the resource manager */
   private String currentJobId = null;
 
-  public IterativeWorkflowProcessorThread(WorkflowInstance wInst,
-      WorkflowInstanceRepository instRep, URL wParentUrl) {
+  public IterativeWorkflowProcessorThread(WorkflowInstance wInst, WorkflowInstanceRepository instRep, URL wParentUrl) {
     workflowInst = wInst;
     taskIterator = workflowInst.getWorkflow().getTasks().iterator();
     this.instanceRepository = instRep;
@@ -132,6 +129,9 @@
         "org.apache.oodt.cas.workflow.engine.resourcemgr.pollingWaitTime", 10);
 
     wmgrParentUrl = wParentUrl;
+    logger.info("Thread created for workflowInstance: {}[{}], instanceRepository class: {}, wmgrParentUrl: {}",
+            workflowInst.getId(), workflowInst.getWorkflow().getName(),
+            instanceRepository.getClass().getName(), wmgrParentUrl);
   }
 
   /*
@@ -140,6 +140,7 @@
    * @see java.lang.Runnable#run()
    */
   public void run() {
+    logger.debug("Starting workflow processor thread");
     /*
      * okay, we got into the run method, mark the start date time for the
      * workflow instance here
@@ -151,15 +152,14 @@
 
     while (running && taskIterator.hasNext()) {
       if (pause) {
-        LOG.log(Level.FINE,
-            "IterativeWorkflowProcessorThread: Skipping execution: Paused: CurrentTask: "
-                + getTaskNameById(workflowInst.getCurrentTaskId()));
+        logger.debug("Skipping execution: Paused: CurrentTask: {}", getTaskNameById(workflowInst.getCurrentTaskId()));
         continue;
       }
 
       WorkflowTask task = (WorkflowTask) taskIterator.next();
-      workflowInst.setCurrentTaskId(task.getTaskId());
+      logger.debug("Selected task: {} for execution", task.getTaskName());
 
+      workflowInst.setCurrentTaskId(task.getTaskId());
       // now persist it
       persistWorkflowInstance();
 
@@ -176,20 +176,17 @@
       // only execute the below code when it's passed all of its
       // pre-conditions
       if (task.getConditions() != null) {
-        while (!satisfied(task.getConditions(), task.getTaskId())
-            && !isStopped()) {
+        while (!satisfied(task.getConditions(), task.getTaskId()) && !isStopped()) {
 
           // if we're not paused, go ahead and pause us now
           if (!isPaused()) {
             pause();
           }
 
-          LOG.log(Level.FINEST,
-              "Pre-conditions for task: " + task.getTaskName()
-                  + " unsatisfied: waiting: " + waitForConditionSatisfy
-                  + " seconds before checking again.");
+          logger.debug("Pre-conditions for task: {} unsatisfied: waiting: {} seconds before checking again.",
+                  task.getTaskName(), waitForConditionSatisfy);
           try {
-            Thread.currentThread().sleep(waitForConditionSatisfy * 1000);
+            Thread.sleep(waitForConditionSatisfy * 1000);
           } catch (InterruptedException ignore) {
           }
 
@@ -212,10 +209,7 @@
       }
 
       // task execution
-      LOG.log(
-          Level.FINEST,
-          "IterativeWorkflowProcessorThread: Executing task: "
-              + task.getTaskName());
+      logger.info("Executing task: {}", task.getTaskName());
 
       WorkflowTaskInstance taskInstance = GenericWorkflowObjectFactory
           .getTaskObjectFromClassName(task.getTaskInstanceClassName());
@@ -273,7 +267,7 @@
             // sleep for 5 seconds then come back
             // and check again
             try {
-              Thread.currentThread().sleep(pollingWaitTime * 1000);
+              Thread.sleep(pollingWaitTime * 1000);
             } catch (InterruptedException ignore) {
             }
           }
@@ -296,53 +290,39 @@
                 .getWorkflowInstanceById(workflowInst.getId());
             workflowInst = updatedInst;
           } catch (InstanceRepositoryException e) {
-            LOG.log(Level.SEVERE, e.getMessage());
-            LOG.log(Level.WARNING, "Unable to get " + "updated workflow "
-                + "instance record " + "when executing remote job: Message: "
-                + e.getMessage());
+            logger.error("Unable to get updated workflow instance record, task - {}, workflowInstanceId - {} : {}",
+                    task.getTaskName(), workflowInst.getId(), e);
           }
-
         } catch (JobExecutionException e) {
-          LOG.log(Level.WARNING,
-              "Job execution exception using resource manager to execute job: Message: "
-                  + e.getMessage());
+          logger.error("Job execution exception using resource manager to execute job, task {} : {}",
+                  task.getTaskName(), e);
         }
       } else {
+        logger.debug("Updating workflow instance [{}] state as {}", workflowInst.getId(), STARTED);
         // we started, so mark it
         workflowInst.setStatus(STARTED);
         // go ahead and persist the workflow instance, after we
         // save the current task start date time
-        String currentTaskIsoStartDateTimeStr = DateConvert
-            .isoFormat(new Date());
-        workflowInst
-            .setCurrentTaskStartDateTimeIsoStr(currentTaskIsoStartDateTimeStr);
+        String currentTaskIsoStartDateTimeStr = DateConvert.isoFormat(new Date());
+        workflowInst.setCurrentTaskStartDateTimeIsoStr(currentTaskIsoStartDateTimeStr);
         workflowInst.setCurrentTaskEndDateTimeIsoStr(null); /*
                                                              * clear this out
                                                              * until it's ready
                                                              */
         persistWorkflowInstance();
-        executeTaskLocally(taskInstance, workflowInst.getSharedContext(),
-            task.getTaskConfig(), task.getTaskName());
+        executeTaskLocally(taskInstance, workflowInst.getSharedContext(), task.getTaskConfig(), task.getTaskName());
         String currentTaskIsoEndDateTimeStr = DateConvert.isoFormat(new Date());
-        workflowInst
-            .setCurrentTaskEndDateTimeIsoStr(currentTaskIsoEndDateTimeStr);
+        workflowInst.setCurrentTaskEndDateTimeIsoStr(currentTaskIsoEndDateTimeStr);
         persistWorkflowInstance();
       }
 
-      LOG.log(
-          Level.FINEST,
-          "IterativeWorkflowProcessorThread: Completed task: "
-              + task.getTaskName());
-
+      logger.info("Completed task: {}", task.getTaskName());
     }
 
-    LOG.log(Level.FINEST,
-        "IterativeWorkflowProcessorThread: Completed workflow: "
-            + workflowInst.getWorkflow().getName());
+    logger.info("Completed workflow: {}", workflowInst.getWorkflow().getName());
     if (!isStopped()) {
       stop();
     }
-
   }
 
   public WorkflowInstance getWorkflowInstance() {
@@ -355,8 +335,7 @@
     // then kill the current job there
     if (this.rClient != null && this.currentJobId != null) {
       if (!this.rClient.killJob(this.currentJobId)) {
-        LOG.log(Level.WARNING, "Attempt to kill " + "current resmgr job: ["
-            + this.currentJobId + "]: failed");
+        logger.warn("Attempt to kill current resmgr job: [{}] failed", this.currentJobId);
       }
     }
 
@@ -437,7 +416,7 @@
   /**
    * @return the rClient
    */
-  public XmlRpcResourceManagerClient getRClient() {
+  public ResourceManagerClient getRClient() {
     return rClient;
   }
 
@@ -448,8 +427,7 @@
   public void setRClient(XmlRpcResourceManagerClient client) {
     rClient = client;
     if (rClient != null) {
-      LOG.log(Level.INFO, "Resource Manager Job Submission enabled to: ["
-          + rClient.getResMgrUrl() + "]");
+      logger.info("Resource Manager Job Submission enabled to: [{}]", rClient.getResMgrUrl());
     }
   }
 
@@ -472,24 +450,21 @@
       Metadata dynMetadata) {
     if (task.getRequiredMetFields() == null || (task.getRequiredMetFields()
                                                     .size() == 0)) {
-      LOG.log(Level.INFO, "Task: [" + task.getTaskName()
-          + "] has no required metadata fields");
-      return true; /* no required metadata, so we're fine */
+      logger.info("Task: [{}] has no required metadata fields", task.getTaskName());
+      // No required metadata, so we're fine
+      return true;
     }
 
     for (Object o : task.getRequiredMetFields()) {
       String reqField = (String) o;
       if (!dynMetadata.containsKey(reqField)) {
-        LOG.log(Level.SEVERE, "Checking metadata key: [" + reqField
-                              + "] for task: [" + task.getTaskName()
-                              + "]: failed: aborting workflow");
+        logger.error("Checking metadata key: [{}] for task: [{}]: failed: aborting workflow",
+                reqField, task.getTaskName());
         return false;
       }
     }
 
-    LOG.log(Level.INFO, "All required metadata fields present for task: ["
-        + task.getTaskName() + "]");
-
+    logger.info("All required metadata fields present for task: [{}]", task.getTaskName());
     return true;
   }
 
@@ -559,22 +534,20 @@
 
   private void persistWorkflowInstance() {
     try {
+      logger.debug("Persisting workflow instance: {}[{}]", workflowInst.getId(), workflowInst.getWorkflow().getName());
       instanceRepository.updateWorkflowInstance(workflowInst);
     } catch (InstanceRepositoryException e) {
-      LOG.log(Level.WARNING, "Exception persisting workflow instance: ["
-          + workflowInst.getId() + "]: Message: " + e.getMessage());
+      logger.error("Exception persisting workflow instance: [{}]", workflowInst.getId(), e);
     }
   }
 
   private void executeTaskLocally(WorkflowTaskInstance instance, Metadata met,
       WorkflowTaskConfiguration cfg, String taskName) {
     try {
-      LOG.log(Level.INFO, "Executing task: [" + taskName + "] locally");
+      logger.info("Executing task: [{}], task instance: {} locally", taskName, instance.getClass());
       instance.run(met, cfg);
     } catch (Exception e) {
-      LOG.log(Level.SEVERE, e.getMessage());
-      LOG.log(Level.WARNING, "Exception executing task: [" + taskName
-          + "] locally: Message: " + e.getMessage());
+      logger.error("Exception executing task: [{}] locally: Message: ", taskName, e);
     }
   }
 
@@ -582,10 +555,8 @@
     try {
       return rClient.isJobComplete(jobId);
     } catch (Exception e) {
-      LOG.log(Level.WARNING, "Exception checking completion status for job: ["
-          + jobId + "]: Messsage: " + e.getMessage());
+      logger.error("Exception checking completion status for job: [{}]", jobId, e);
       return false;
     }
   }
-
 }
diff --git a/workflow/src/main/java/org/apache/oodt/cas/workflow/structs/WorkflowInstance.java b/workflow/src/main/java/org/apache/oodt/cas/workflow/structs/WorkflowInstance.java
index 5c541bc..345db69 100644
--- a/workflow/src/main/java/org/apache/oodt/cas/workflow/structs/WorkflowInstance.java
+++ b/workflow/src/main/java/org/apache/oodt/cas/workflow/structs/WorkflowInstance.java
@@ -17,18 +17,14 @@
 
 package org.apache.oodt.cas.workflow.structs;
 
-//JDK imports
-
 import org.apache.oodt.cas.metadata.Metadata;
 import org.apache.oodt.cas.workflow.lifecycle.WorkflowState;
 import org.apache.oodt.commons.util.DateConvert;
+import org.slf4j.Logger;
+import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
 
 import java.text.ParseException;
 import java.util.Date;
-import java.util.logging.Level;
-import java.util.logging.Logger;
-
-//OODT imports
 
 /**
  * A WorkflowInstance is an instantiation of the abstract description of a
@@ -61,7 +57,9 @@
  * 
  */
 public class WorkflowInstance {
-  private static Logger LOG = Logger.getLogger(WorkflowInstance.class.getName());
+
+  private static final Logger logger = LoggerFactory.getLogger(WorkflowInstance.class);
+
   private ParentChildWorkflow workflow;
 
   private String id;
@@ -92,8 +90,8 @@
   public WorkflowInstance(Workflow workflow, String id, WorkflowState state,
       String currentTaskId, Date startDate, Date endDate, 
       Metadata sharedContext, int timesBlocked, Priority priority) {
-    this.workflow = workflow != null && workflow instanceof ParentChildWorkflow ? (ParentChildWorkflow) workflow
-        : new ParentChildWorkflow(workflow != null ? workflow : new Workflow());
+    this.workflow = workflow instanceof ParentChildWorkflow ?
+            (ParentChildWorkflow) workflow : new ParentChildWorkflow(workflow != null ? workflow : new Workflow());
     this.id = id;
     this.state = state;
     this.currentTaskId = currentTaskId;
@@ -138,6 +136,7 @@
     WorkflowState state = new WorkflowState();
     state.setName(status);
     this.state = state;
+    logger.debug("Workflow state updated to: {}", state.getName());
   }
 
   /**
@@ -312,7 +311,7 @@
       try {
         this.endDate = DateConvert.isoParse(endDateTimeIsoStr);
       } catch (ParseException e) {
-        LOG.log(Level.SEVERE, e.getMessage());
+        logger.error("Error when parsing end time: {}", e.getMessage());
         // fail silently besides this: it's just a setter
       }
     }
@@ -337,7 +336,7 @@
       try {
         this.startDate = DateConvert.isoParse(startDateTimeIsoStr);
       } catch (ParseException e) {
-        LOG.log(Level.SEVERE, e.getMessage());
+        logger.error("Error when parsing start time: {}", e.getMessage());
         // fail silently besides this: it's just a setter
       }
     }
@@ -368,7 +367,7 @@
         this.getTaskById(currentTaskId).
           setEndDate(DateConvert.isoParse(currentTaskEndDateTimeIsoStr));
       } catch (ParseException e) {
-        LOG.log(Level.SEVERE, e.getMessage());
+        logger.error("Error when parsing time: {}", e.getMessage());
         // fail silently besides this: it's just a setter
       }
     }
@@ -398,7 +397,7 @@
         this.getTaskById(currentTaskId).setStartDate(DateConvert
             .isoParse(currentTaskStartDateTimeIsoStr));
       } catch (ParseException e) {
-        LOG.log(Level.SEVERE, e.getMessage());
+        logger.error("Error when parsing time: {}", e.getMessage());
         // fail silently besides this: it's just a setter
       }
     }
@@ -446,6 +445,4 @@
       return null;
     }
   }
-
-
 }
diff --git a/workflow/src/main/resources/log4j2.xml b/workflow/src/main/resources/log4j2.xml
index 8033d98..3214815 100644
--- a/workflow/src/main/resources/log4j2.xml
+++ b/workflow/src/main/resources/log4j2.xml
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
         <Console name="Console" target="SYSTEM_OUT">
             <PatternLayout pattern="%d{HH:mm:ss.SSS} [%t] %-5level %logger{36} - %msg%n"/>
         </Console>
-        <File name="File" fileName="../logs/cas_wmgr.log" immediateFlush="false" append="false">
+        <File name="File" fileName="../logs/cas_wmgr.log" immediateFlush="true" append="false">
             <PatternLayout pattern="%d{yyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss.SSS} [%t] %-5level %logger{36} - %msg%n"/>
         </File>
     </Appenders>